Look At Me
by morphinetune
Summary: "His eyes shot to Kagome who had stopped to talk to one of the villagers. She was smiling; he held back a whimper. The thought of her being put in harms way all over again was enough to make him want to throw his fists against the ground in agony." Rated M for: Violence & Sexual Content in future chapters. R&R please! It's greatly appreciated! Mainly InuxKag, some MirxSan.
1. Chapter 1

**So for a while now I've been becoming unhappy with how Look At Me was progressing, and I feel that I rushed it and left out important details and just the attention it deserves. If I'm going to write a fanfic, I should put everything into it. So here it is!**

It was the waiting; the glancing at the well every passing minute that felt like hours that killed him. Sometimes he'd sit from a distance, but eventually against his own accord, he found himself inching closer and closer every passing day until he was leaned against its wall, his ears swiveled back and listening for anything. When ever a passing breeze would dip into the dormant well, he'd leap up and peer over the edge, the rustling leaves making his heart kick up. But just as soon as his hopes would come surging it's way up his body, desiring to see her smiling up at him from the bottom, he would find his hopes plummeting to his feet before him and into the empty well. It wasn't until a month passed that he started sitting back at the edge of the tree line surrounding the well; he just couldn't take the constant up and down of his emotions every time he thought he heard her. But even at a distance, his eyes were locked on it, his ears at full attention. He'd sit with his back against a tree or perched on the low branch of one, arguing with himself, or reassuring himself, he couldn't tell anymore. But there wasn't much to offer to keep him calm and optimistic. Every day that passed and he'd walk back alone at night to the village or high into the God Tree was another day he missed her more, but somewhere deep in his chest, hope kept him returning to their well.

And then six months passed. An anger had filled him and he found that tearing trees apart and picking large splinters from under his nails helped distract him from it, even if only for a while.

And then a year. That anger that had threatened to send him into a world of chaos has dulled, but now it was a low rumbling annoyance that coated his insanity and gave him a viper tongue. He realized he had to find peace in himself somehow when he yelled at one of Sango and Miroku's little girls just for chasing after him. When he watched her run and cry in fear, he stopped and remembered he wasn't that anymore. There was no reason to fight off kindness, Kagome had taught him that.

Then two. He hadn't remembered feeling a sadness this overwhelming since his mother had passed.

And by the time three years had passed and her scent had been well gone from his clothes and skin, he only returned to the well every three days. He was almost feeling normal again, and had even began to accept the ache in his heart as something he'd carry with him forever. A sad reminder of the friend he missed so dearly, of the girl who he fell so hard for. But with the passing of three long years, somewhere in him he had accepted she wasn't coming back. That he wouldn't have the chance to hold her close to him, to breathe in the smell of her skin one last time. But he had her voice in his head and her bright smile every time he closed his eyes, so he'd be thankful for that. At one point she was there, but now she was gone.

Inuyasha tried not to let it get to him, and found that- even though it was a bit of an adjustment- spending time with his friends did really help. Though he showed gruffness on the outside, he loved those little girls. It's how they found him always willing to let them braid his hair and put flowers around his ears. Their happiness in the face of his inner torment brought him a sense of relief, oddly. At least someone was at peace.

Nights when Sango and Miroku would enjoy the summer nights outside with a bottle of warm Sake, they'd invite him down from his tree and they'd share memories of their travels, and of course, Kagome. It wasn't hard to laugh anymore; before he'd feel guilty about not having her next to him, enjoying the night and the laughter. When his friends had stumbled back into their home and he could hear hushed giggles, he was back in his tree, his head swimming with images of Kagome and his body yearning to feel hers. If it was only for a few moments, the world of soft moans and heavy touches his mind engulfed him in brought a sense of release he started to depend on as he grew older. Sometimes dipping his hands into his pants and letting his imagination run wild was the only way to keep his demons at bay, if only for a while.

It was a day that was cooler than the scorching ones summer had brought them for a while, but now that Fall was approaching, it was actually nice to sit in the sun whilst a breeze cooled their skin. The twins had been playing with his ears so he didn't hear the low rumbling of the well reawakening, and he definitely didn't see the soft blue light of the time slip as she touched down on the other side, her eyes up and searching, but only staring at the bright sky.

But as soon as her scent intermingled with the air around his world, he smelled her. The wildflower of her hair and the warmth of her skin; he could recognizing it anywhere.

"Alright girls, go slay the fox." He easily tossed them onto an unsuspecting Shippo, and before he could bother to listen to his protest, he was thundering away and leaving his friends questioning his sudden departure.

He couldn't move fast enough through the winding huts and people he had to dodge, and he was definitely too eager to stop and help the few people he bumped into as he flew into the forest, zipping past trees and shredding blades of grass beneath his feet. He was almost there; he took in another deep breath. 'This scent, there's no mistake!' He thought reassuringly to himself, and he was finally running through the clearing and the well was in sight. The sun that was high in the sky casted a deep shadow down the well, and even with his eyesight, he couldn't find her. So he leaned down and stretched his hand down to her, into the darkness. Only a few seconds passed until her hand came shooting from the darkness, and as he pulled her up, the light finally showed on her face. And when he had her in his arms and out of the time slip, he stopped and stared at her. Her eyes, her nose, her lips, everything was different, but she was still her. She had aged beautifully, keeping everything gorgeous, but he swore he could see the traces of crying in her eyes and light scars from their battles together on her cheeks.

And then she spoke.

"Inuyasha I'm so sorry- were you waiting here for me?" Her voice trembled with worry, but her smile only said happiness. It was a symphony in his ears.

"Kagome." He forced out; how could he even begin?

"You idiot. What have you been doing all this time?" He tried to keep his voice steady, but it too wavered and cracked. His arms swung around her and pulled her in tight, his cheek resting atop her head. A small scoff left her lips, but she closed her eyes and settled against his chest, his heart beat thundering in her ears. She wanted to cry and scream and laugh all at once, but just as her mind wandered to the one thing she had really been wanting to do all those years, familiar voices made themselves known.

It was amazing rekindling her friendship with her loved ones from the past, and Kagome smiled and laughed as they took her by the hands and dragged her back to the village, all with Sango's small son in her arms and Shippo sat on her shoulder (and she could feel that he had grown since her absence), but she looked back at Inuyasha often. His expression was unreadable, but he quietly trailed behind them. She hoped she hadn't done something to make him uncomfortable.

So quickly the village organized a banquet in the wake of their mikos arrival, and she was lost in a whirlwind of greetings and groups of villagers swarming around her and welcoming her back. There was offerings of food and even some fine fabrics, and a few traditional wreaths had been tossed around her neck. Sango stayed close by, helping with introductions and anyone who might be pushing their friendliness too much, but her mind was on Inuyasha. He stayed back, still close, but not with an arm looped around hers like Sango's was.

Out of shear luck, Kaede had been returning with Rin from a visit to a neighboring village, and Kagome almost found herself on her knees hugging the old woman. She had missed her so much. It wasn't until the old holy woman asked Kagome how long and where she'd be staying that her eyes wandered back to the hanyou, but they stayed on him. By the way his ears were perked forward, she knew he had heard her.

As the celebrations wound down into the early night, Kagome finally had a chance to sneak off to where her half demon was leaned against a tree, his eyes following her as she approached him. "Hey." She said softly, and she could see tension release from his brows and shoulders as he responded, "Hey." Her small smile almost made him weep. "So, seeing as I planned on staying, I was also hoping it'd be okay if I stayed with you?" She asked nervously, and his eyes widened a bit. Might as well address the elephant in the room, she thought.

"So you're staying? For how long?" The words came tumbling from his mouth before he could stop them and he was pushing off the tree to move closer. Surprise hit her first, but she was relieved to see the hope in his eyes. "Well I'd say only if you want me to, but for now you're stuck with me." She explained, and she didn't know why she said that. She couldn't go back even if she wanted to, now. He straightened his back. "Well- are you assuming I have somewhere to actually go? What if I stay in a tree?" He asked, his usual snappy attitude ebbing back. She giggled. "Even if it's in a tree, I'm okay." She said, and pink dusted both of their cheeks. "Kagome, I-," his tone calmed considerably as he tried to form the words, trying to tell her how much he missed her, and he wanted her, and he wanted her to stay and more but all he could do was move to wrap his arms around her thin waist and bury his face in the crook of her neck. Even though a few villagers had spotted them and some had even stopped to point and whisper, he just held onto her tighter. Kagome was quick to curl her arms around him, but his embrace felt sad, like there was something holding him back. Kagome could only guess he thought they still had unsettled business, and one of those being that he must've thought they had limited time. "We have stuff to talk about." She whispered, and he nodded, letting her go but taking her hand and leading her down the path some ways into the forest. Every step they took he was a little happier to finally have her to himself.

"Inuyasha, where...?" She asked. "You said you needed somewhere to stay, didn't you?" He replied, not looking back. "Yes." She said softly, and her hands held his tightly as she skipped to match his pace.

She half expected him to actually take her to a tree, but the small hut with one additional room was indeed a surprise. It had just been finished a month prior, and he told her that sleeping on roofs and trees in winter wasn't impossible, just annoying. Only the basic necessities were in his home, even pots to cook with, but it was clear they hadn't been touched. And then he led her down a small hall, and to the one bedroom he only used occasionally. There was only a folded futon in one corner, but looking at it made her cheeks flush. 'Would we be sleeping there tonight?' She questioned herself, and as she stepped in and looked out the small window with wooden slabs across it, she heard his footsteps leaving. "I'll see you in the morning." He said, and she spun around.

"Wait!" She yelled, and it was the first time she had seen him visibly jump, twirling around to face her. It didn't take much to convince him to stay with her in the room that night, mostly because he didn't even want to leave in the first place. Inuyasha sat near the edge of the futon he laid out for her after starting a small fire at the center of the room, and when her feet padded across it, she was pleased that it smelled like him. She sat on the edge close to him, their arms almost touching.

"A lot has changed." She said simply, and he shrugged. "In a sense." He responded, and she looked to him. Now that she had a chance to really look at him uninterrupted, she was noticing that he had changed too, just a little. His jaw a little squarer, his eyes more narrow, and when they had been walking hand in hand, his height had definitely increased. If Sesshomaru was still the same height as he was when she left, Inuyasha could easily meet his eye level now. "We're definitely not kids anymore." She said with a chuckle, and he scoffed. "Didn't have much of a childhood anyways." He said, glancing at her.

She nodded once. "You'd be surprised to see how big Sota's gotten, nearly taller than me now." She said as her knees pulled up closer to her chest.

Her family.

"When does your family expect you back?" He asked carefully, fearing her answer. Kagome sighed and looked to the small fire.

"They don't expect me back, Inuyasha." She said softly, and his brows furrowed. "The well sealed back up when I came here." She finished, and his ears drooped. "Why? Why would you leave them?" He nearly demanded, but his tone was far from angry. Remorseful, bewildered, but not angry. She shrugged, a small grin pulling the corners of her lips up as she tried to lighten the mood. Her form suddenly scooting closer to him and resting against his side made his arms loosen a bit from their folded spot across his chest. "I wanted to be with you again." Her words rang in his ears, and he paused a moment before he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, but by then it was easy to pull her right against his side. She still fit perfectly.

He worried she would come to regret her decision, but the more they spoke of one another's lives for the past three years, the more the worry seeped away. At no point in her stories or voice did she sounds regretful. A lot of words can be passed in the span of just an hour, and somehow his hand had ended up in hers when she quieted during a story about her last year in school, and she was marveling at the difference in size. Their words seized then and he was watching her small hands play with his. Slender fingers would trace scars across his palms from all the times they'd blister from holding the Tetsusaigas old and splintered handle. Kagome was amazed at the strength these hands were capable of, it showed in the length of his claws, but they'd never befallen harm unto her unless he was not himself. She'd dreamed of these hands. Holding hers, wrapping around her waist, running down her body...

Inuyasha froze when she raised his palm to her lips and kissed tenderly, and he leaned his head back against the wall to watch her. She was so soft in her movements. His hand turned and he cupped her cheek, smirking when her eyes closed and she rested her cheek in his hand.

"I missed you so much." She said, so quietly that anyone else without his hearing wouldn't pick it up. "I missed you, too." He whispered back, and then they were stuck in each other's gazes. Seconds passed and he could clearly see the shift in her eyes, from the wanting of his touch to the needing of him right then, but he couldn't move. He recalled nightmares when he'd move to touch her, and then he found himself awake and in a fit of rage, screaming to the sky why he couldn't have her back. What if this was all another dream?

Kagome could easily see the inner turmoil in his eyes. So when she rose to her knees slightly so they were at eye level, and ran her hand to his cheeks so he couldn't move when her lips graced his, he thanked her inwardly that she didn't give him the chance to mess it up. She didn't close her eyes until he readjusted his lips over hers and closed his own, and already his hands were running across her sides to pull her closer.

Eventually bravery was what fueled her desire to crawl backwards after a long, heated lip lock, her fingers tugging playfully on his necklace for him to follow. His mouth hovered above hers as he crawled after her, and before they could sink into the futon she had parted his haori and white undershirt to push it off his shoulders. Just as his arms thrashed from it and tossed it aside, his hands slid under her sweater and blouse, and he too pushed them up and over her head, his mouth instantly sealing hers as he pushed her back into the soft mattress. Even when he wasn't ravishing her mouth with kisses, his lips were on her body. Across her chest and over her breast when he removed the bra from her arms; Kagome made it a point to not let him rip it, she wanted it to last.

He loved the taste of her skin when he placed open mouthed kisses around her hips and down her thighs, as he pulled the skirt down her legs, her arousal hitting him like a wall when he ghosted back up her body.

It was easy up until his pants has been pushed down and he was slowly pushing inside her; his fingers just didn't meet up to the size of his member. But she was thankful he had taken the time to rub and slide his fingers along her womanhood, she didn't think she could've made this adjustment without being slick and insanely aroused. To Inuyasha's embarrassment he had only lasted a few pumps before he was exploding all over her stomach after Kagome had told him he could move, but she only held his cheeks and kissed him, telling him, "Practice makes perfect."

By their second time he had indeed lasted longer, but not long enough so she could reach a climax with him. He took this to heart and nearly tore the futon to shreds, but she stopped him and suggested an idea. It didn't work. Watching her rock back and forth on top of him almost made him blow his load faster than the first time, but when he spun them around and lifted her hips off the futon to align himself with her, he was finally able to give her the exploding release she deserved. He loved watching her bare chest rise and fall with deep breaths as loud moans and pieces of his name tumbled from her lips, eventually winding down to sighs of pleasure as he lost himself in her again.

By the fourth time, they moved slow. He wanted to memorize every part of her, to feel every curve and contour of her body. Kagome found great pleasure in the way he would shutter and groan when she ran her fingertips down his chiseled chest and stomach, and he loved the way she'd sigh when he'd kiss her inner thighs. She'd have hickeys covering her thighs by the time the sun rose.

When he finally was encased in her again, she was straddling his lap, her head hung back so he could lick and suck her neck and collarbones with her hands clasped behind his neck. Like this, taking in deep breaths every few moments to relish in her scent was easy. The way the smell of her skin changed when she was like this was intoxicating, and he just couldn't get enough of it. He loved her slowly and carefully, his hips rocking up to meet hers in languid thrusts with the help of his hands on her ass to guide her back and forth until he had her begging. But he still didn't listen.

The sun was peaking over the trees and light was filtering into the room when she was finally yelling his name and gripping his thighs with her legs over his shoulders, and this time, she told him to let go inside of her. Hearing that caused an instantaneous orgasm and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. For the longest of times they couldn't move, wrapped around one another, their hands wandering tiredly up and down their bodies. Kagome was on her back, his eyes locked with hers and his thigh between her legs as his hand made small circles on her shoulder. Her nails made small designs on the arm draped over her chest, and she could feel a trail of goosebumps developing on his skin where she touched. There was a hovering peace around them, and the soft glow of the room with the cool air only added to it. She wanted to stay suspended like this, forever. Unmoving and lost in the deep Amber of his eyes. "I love you so much." She said softly, and his ears slowly rotated forward from their droopy state. A soft titter shook her form; she loved the way his ears would represent what was in his eyes. They grew wide, and a soft blush covered the tan skin on his cheeks. "I love you so much." He responded, and a beaming smile made him smile in return. She pushed off her arm to place a kiss on his lips, his hand moving to hold the back of her head and it didn't take long for him to roll them over so he laid over her, her legs wrapping around the back of his thighs.

It was so comforting waking up to her every morning, and even after a day he could've done without, he loved falling asleep next to her.

It only took about a month after her return for them to realize that anger could still bubble to the surface and it had been so ridiculous. Something small that escalated into fury and them screaming at one another and ending with her storming off towards the well, intent on at least making him worry. And he did. Just as she had sat perched on its edge, not really planning to do much else, he came bursting through the trees, a wild fear in his eyes as he gripped her arms and pulled her down. He yelled and questioned her, shaking her gently as he asked why she would leave him again. It broke her right down the middle to see him in such a state, and even after cradling him against her, he still floated in a despondent state for a bit. She apologized again and again, promising him that she'd never leave his side again.

It wasn't until about three months that they both realized that if they could laugh during sex, it made it even better, added a new depth to their connection. He'd lost his footing as he held her bottom in his hands, thrusting quickly against her with her hands clutching the rock face behind her that she was pinned against. At first she'd relished in running her hands across his toned and dark shoulders, but as she drew closer to her climax, her body felt like it might come apart at any moment. Her legs tightened around him as he again and again hit something deep within in, but when he moved to readjust his foot that was becoming pinned between two stones in the hot springs they found themselves making love in, he slipped against the slickness of it and they both went falling. Seeing as her mouth was open and moaning loudly, she came back up from the hot water coughing and rubbing her eyes just as he did, and for a moment they only looked at one another. And then they both started laughing loudly as they moved to hold each other again, but even as he tried to place kisses along her neck, he was still laughing against her skin as she threw her head back in humor.

When half a year passed, Kagome was dealt a blow she thought had been put far behind them, settled even farther in the past. When the ne-no-kubi had been unearthed and come seeking the Sacred Jewel, Inuyasha couldn't hide much after that. But when it had called her Kikyo- that irritated old wounds. They'd been able to keep their focus on the short battle, but coming to confront her lover wasn't as difficult as she'd expected. Kagome hadn't angered that he kept it to himself of Kikyo's broken seal, but the fact he couldn't trust in her to remain levelheaded. The subjugation beads were still powerful as ever.

With her legs rested up against the wall next to their futon and his head rested on her stomach as she scratched behind his ears, they laid in comfortable silence. It had been a lazy day, opting to stay inside most of it and just lay around and away from the cold outside. On and off they'd napped, and even though their day had been filled with nothing, they still found themselves sleepy as they found peace in one another's company. "We should go for a hike tomorrow." Kagome muttered, and Inuyasha grumbled. "Sure." He said sleepily, twitching the ear she had paused from scratching. She chuckled softly.

As often as he could, he'd steal her away from her day to day chores with arms wrapped strongly around her waist, taking her deep into the trees where no one could hear her screams of pleasure as he would again and again lose himself in the gentle warmth that was her body. He was sure he'd never grow tired of hearing his name coat her tongue in such a way.

And then one day as they sat around their fire and cooked dinner, Kagome grew impatient. All day he had seemed distant and short tempered, never making eye contact with her. Maybe he's feeling unwell, she thought at first. But how likely was that? It wasn't the night of the new moon, so what could it be? He knew she was becoming curious, but he just didn't know how to tell her what plagued his mind lately, and spun in his head like a tornado that day. They'd both looked at each other at the same time, even opening their mouths to speak, but Inuyasha stopped, not wanting to interrupt. "Please speak." She said, her eyes widening but he could still see the annoyance in the arch of her eyebrows.

He summoned the last of his courage from his belly. "I want you to be my wife." He said carefully, and her face went unreadable. The doubt flooded him and he tensed his legs to run; he did it, he just ruined their bubble of perfection. But when she crawled haphazardly to him and straddled his lap, she kissed him once firmly, her hands set on his cheeks and a smile creeping across her mouth. "Let's get married." She said, and he sighed in relief, his forehead dropping to rest on her chest. "Yeah, let's get married." He said, his voice muffled when he held her tightly.

It had been small and personal. Just the two to be wed and Kaede below the shade of the God Tree, promising one another a lifetime together and to love one another with no reservation. It was nothing short of perfect.

It wasn't long after the wedding that Kagome questioned why after all this time, she hadn't fallen pregnant. Never once had it occurred to them to be careful, so why hadn't they been blessed by a mistake? But in the end, it was Kagome who comforted a torn and hysterical Inuyasha. He'd taken the news well at first, but once it sunk in that half demons were infertile, he found a sadness and guilt gnawing at him. It showed in the following days when he didn't eat, when he didn't smile, and when he was suddenly apologizing with tears streaming down his cheeks as he clung to his wife. She couldn't hold him tight enough, couldn't say enough to calm him. How could she ever express that she didn't feel anger, that she didn't love him any less? So she let him unwind and mourn the loss of a dream he'd secretly had to one day father a child.

And then life settled. Everyday was a little easier to handle, and he even began to joke around and play as he used to. Even if they couldn't have a family of their own, Kagome made sure he knew that she would always be a constant in his life, that her love and support for him was unwavering. She wanted him to feel that the two of them could be the all the family they needed. It wasn't until one day he returned from an errand run with Miroku that he realized how much he needed her. He'd walked into their home and found her pulling their futon to the opposite wall under the small window. Before he left he'd mentioned how he liked waking up with the sun on his skin, so she moved it so he'd wake up as peaceful as possible. For a month she had done everything she could to make sure his heart would not break, that the tarnish he felt in his soul wouldn't grow, and now that he was better, he wanted her to feel as complete as he did. As he spun her around and spread her body out before him, focusing only on her pleasure that he realized how much he missed this feeling in the month he'd become withdrawn. He kissed thank yous and his confessions of undying love against her skin as he worshipped her body.

Day to day their life went on, and everyday they learned something new about one another.

She discovered the scars around the inner part of his ears, and he told her how he'd tried to cut them off once if it meant not having sleep outside in the cold when he was small. She only scratched the outer parts of his ears after that.

Inuyasha had traced his hand along the jagged scar of her left forearm many times but assumed it had happened during their battles in the feudal era. But she told him of the time she had become hysterical after six months of not being able to see him and plunge herself into the well, willing it to swallow her and spit her back out the other side. In the end, she had broken her arm in two places and required surgery. He contemplated placing wooden slabs over the top of the opening.

Inuyasha liked the warm weather because catching dinner was easier.

Kagome loved the cold. She hated being hot and sticky.

Errand runs with Miroku had become more frequent; there was something about stormy weather that made demon activity pick up. Maybe the electrical charges of the Lightning. But in the end, Inuyasha and Kagome found themselves living comfortably with a little extra to be able to bring their little home to life. It wasn't much, but a colorful rug accompanied with warm mats to sit on in front of a fire, or trunks to hold their belongings that matched with wall tapestries really made the place a little brighter. He even installed some windows with sliding doors in front of them so light could come into their home more, illuminating the warmth that filled the inside. For a while she had mentioned how she'd like to one day fashion a door to replace the mat that swung at the entrance of the hut, and so on the one year mark of her return, he surprised her with the best door he could manage to make, and it proved useful when she'd thanked him by dipping her head between his legs and Shippo was left locked outside, questioning just what the obstacle was in front of him.

Some nights Kagome would wake from the pure quiet of the world around her, and for the briefest of moments she'd wonder why there was no sirens or cars to fill the night air. And then she'd look to her side and see his peaceful face, and it'd all come back to her. It surprised her just how often that actually happened. She'd scoot close to him and even sometimes wrap her arms around his waist and press her face into the space between his shoulder blades, relishing how warm he was. Counting the seconds between each of his breaths always lulled her back to sleep.

It had been a normal day, she was rinsing the rice she planned to cook for dinner in a pail of water by the river that stretched through the village when her hands stilled as she gazed out upon the rolling hills and trees that eventually melted into the mountains. And for the first time since she'd returned, she was bored. The dirt trail that led away from her home always made her think of how many times they'd taken that path to embark out on a different leg of their previous journeys, and something deep down in her began to miss the travel and adrenaline of being out in the world. As she glanced over at her snoozing husband perched high in the dead tree by the water, she wondered if he did, too. For the last few days he'd kept somewhat of a distance between them; her time of the month drove him crazy but she refused to take that step of intimacy when blood made itself present between her legs. That just wasn't her thing. Besides the intensity of their sex life and the spontaneous visit they'd make to neighboring villages to collect items for their homes, Kagome was growing a bit used to doing chores and training with Kaede. It wasn't just a side effect of living in the past; she'd known plenty of boredom those three years in her own time. But now there had to be something she could do to add a bit of excitement to her life, something her and her husband could both partake in. As she gathered her pails and rice she stopped by the tree Inuyasha napped in and rapped her knuckles against the wood. His ears twitched and he looked down at her before jumping down when she nodded in the direction of their home. He carried her items for her and held her close as one of her arms looped around his waist. Even if boredom filled her days, she wouldn't trade it for anything if it meant she could have small moments like this.

 **So there it is! The first revised chapter of Look At Me. I'm actually really happy with it, and if there's any errors- I wrote this on my iPhone and that's not the easiest thing to do XD thanks for stopping by!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to anyone who has graciously left me feedback or followed/favorited this story! It means a lot that a few of the people who followed it before stuck around for the revised version n_n**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Inuyasha, nor do I write for financial gain.**

* * *

As the climax ebbed from her system, her vision began to clear and before her she watched as his head craned back, his hands still gripped at her hips and his stomach clenching and relaxing repeatedly. Eventually he looked back to her, and she sighed softly as he pumped the last of himself into her. Kagome loved the way his golden eyes hung heavy after he came, and he smirked back at her. Leaning towards her to place a kiss on her lips caused the friction of their hips to stimulate the sensitive part they were joined at, and she mewled softly. "Again already?" He said through muffled lips, and she smacked his arm. "Shut up." She mumbled, and shuddered pleasantly when he pulled out of her. His toned arms shook a bit as he crawled to lay next to her and then plop down on the futon, his hair flying out from under his body. "You did good, husband." She said sarcastically, still breathless and giving his bare thigh a few sturdy pats. His sidelong glare made her laugh, and very reluctantly she sat up, trying to smooth her hair into something presentable. "I don't think I'll have time to bathe." She grumbled to herself as she stood, her knees a bit shaky. "You look fine, no one will know." Inuyasha said in a nonchalant voice, placing his hands behind his head to watch his wife walk naked to the trunk that held her extra clothing. The soft sheen of sweat on her back accented her toned muscles, especially where her shoulder blades were. Years of archery had graced her with a beautiful upper figure.

"At least my hair doesn't look like yours right now..." She said quietly, but his sharp hearing caught it. With brows arched down he raised a foot to push her lightly on the butt. Kagome tittered and went about cleaning herself up before dressing in her traditional miko robes, and did her very best to fix her hair. She really had to talk to him about rolling her around their bed when they were having sex; her hair just knotted so easily. Opting to put her hair in an as neat as she could manage bun, she straightened her clothing and leaned over a nearly sleeping half demon who had been trying to keep his eyes open to watch her. "Are you gonna stay here all day?" She asked when she was only a few inches from his face. "So what if I am?" He barked, and she pecked him on the lips. She could still taste the salt of his sweat on his lips; his eyes still closed for the quickest of kisses.

"I'll walk you home when you're done." He said, sliding a finger back and forth across her stomach that he had slipped under the sash at her waist. "You mean you'll come get me when you want dinner?" She asked, and he shrugged.

"Either-or." He replied, and she smiled before giving him a long kiss. "You're lucky I think you're cute." She said softly, and he held her jaw delicately, being the one to lean up and kiss her one last kiss. "Be safe." He said firmly, and she nodded.

Kagome rose and wiggled her arms to fix her sleeves, and she could see Inuyasha roll onto his stomach before she left their room. 'He must be exhausted.' She told herself. Of course he was; on top of his sleepless night from the New Moon, he had waken her up with burning kisses across her chest early this morning. A small grin graced her lips as she tapped her toes on the ground so her sandals fit snug, and then walked out.

As she walked through the trees where their home was situated a small stroll away from the village, she went over in her head the chores and training she'd be doing that day. "Full day full of nothing much..." She told herself as she exhaled. She'd much rather have stayed in bed with her husband. 'At least then it'd be something exciting to do...' She thought, trying to resist the urge to run home and crawl back into bed with him. Her cheeks reddened as she thought of their morning together; the thought of being tangled in one another's limbs and laying out before him as he made her body stretch and curl in unimaginable pleasure. He could make her see stars with the smallest of touches, but when he had her craned back and lovingly pounding her into their futon-

Kagome shook her head and blinked a few times to clear her head; she needed to focus on the meditation she knew she was going to be faced with when she arrived at Kaede's. If she were to make this day roll along smoothly and as quickly as possible so she could leap back into bed with her husband, becoming distracted over his incredible ability to send her nearly into a delirious state would only have her starting meditations over and over again. As she came through the opening of the trees and along a path leading first to Sango and Miroku's home, she looked out along the beaten path just adjacent to her. Her eyes stayed settled on it until she couldn't turn her head any farther. But before she could return to her thoughts, two small girls came running up to her legs and jumping around her, chanting "Auntie Kagome!"

She plucked one of the girls up from the ground with a smile and held the hand of the other, asking them how they're morning was and where their mother was about. Sango showed herself quickly, walking out of her hut with her snoozing toddler in her arms. "Girls, calm down!" Sango chimed.

"It's okay, these two brightened my day up a little more." Kagome said, smooshing the young girls cheek against her own and making the child giggle. "Is everything okay?" Sango asked curiously, shifting the sleeping child to her other arm.

"Oh yeah, I just..." Kagome trailed off.

"Did Inuyasha ruin your morning?" Sango asked, raising an eyebrow. "No, no! He did the exact opposite actually." She said in a hushed tone, wanting it to avoid the ears of a certain monk in case he had returned from his errand run from another village. At the smallest hint of anything promiscuous between the two, he'd tease relentlessly. "Is it awful if I'm getting a bit... Bored?" Kagome asked in a whisper, eyeing if anyone heard her. Sango shook her head. "If you don't have kids and you're already growing bored, then I don't feel so bad about getting stir crazy myself." Her friend replied. Kagome paused; memories of Inuyasha breaking down filled her mind, and Sango saw the unpleasant memories swimming in her eyes. "Oh no Kagome, I'm so sorry- I didn't mean it like that!" She apologized, but Kagome only shook her head and smiled reassuringly. "I know you didn't, it's okay."

"I guess I just miss being out in the world sometimes. Not so much hunting demons and jewel shards, just being in the wilderness and always having a new destination to trek to." The miko explained. "I understand. Maybe the next time there's an errand Inuyasha can take you instead of Miroku." Her friend offered, and Kagome nodded, then placed the girl down and watched her as she skipped away to join her sister in chasing a village stray around their home. "I'll see you later." She said, running a thumb over the boys' cheek before walking towards Kaede's.

There wasn't much to training; some brushing up on her archery, some incantations, but most of it was meditating and learning to give proper blessings. Learning to channel her spiritual energy was something she'd gotten the hang of a while back, but Kaede had suggested that since she had wed and laid with a half-demon, Kagome's holy powers would need more attention than usual. She herself didn't agree with this; her body felt more at peace when she was around him. That man could calm any storm in her mind and also so easily cause a whirlwind of emotions in her heart. But if she were to pull her weight and uphold the duties passed onto her from Kikyo, she would do so and try to keep her dissatisfaction of the uneventful days to herself.

The morning turned to late afternoon and by the time she was finishing the last of her rounds in the village to check up on some children that she was sure simply had the cold, the sky was a deep orange and long shadows were cast along the ground from the trees.

Kagome rinsed her hands in a pale of hot water after seeing the last child, and with a tired huff, she walked towards the river running through the village. On days when her mind was a bit clouded with unpleasant thoughts or she had a particularly tasking day, sitting by the water helped. But today, she felt some of her tenseness melt away when she saw that her husband was already standing there, facing the water. His ears shot back when he heard her footsteps. The way the rich colors of the sky made his eyes glow even in the shadows of his own face always took her breath away. "Hey there." She said, instantly curling an arm around his waist and leaning against his side. The water carried a cool breeze over its surface, and the heat of her husbands side was pleasant. "Bad day?" He asked, hanging an arm around her shoulders.

"No, just... Dull, mostly." She admitted, and he gave her a 'Hm' in agreement. "Those come and go." He said, resting his lips on top of her head, but his nose scrunched and he pulled back. "You smell like sickness." He ground out, leaning a bit away from her.

"I'm sorry, I had to check on some kids that've come down with a cold. But I guess that's just another excuse I can use so a certain someone can walk with me to the hot springs tonight." She said slowly, looking up at him with a devious grin. He gave her his trademark pout, but eventually rolled his eyes and nodded. "As long as you wash that smell off. I much rather prefer how you smelled this morning..." He said lowly, leaning down with his eyes fixed on the passing village people to place a kiss on her neck and nuzzle the spot just below her hairline under her ear. She giggled and pushed on his chest, and leaned away from him when from behind his shoulder she could see Miroku entering the village.

"Welcome back, Miroku!" Kagome chimed, and Inuyasha grumbled before turning to face their friend. He looked tired by the way his feet dragged and how his shoulders hung a little low.

"Two days; must've been quite the exorcism." Inuyasha commented, and Miroku nodded. "About that, Inuyasha- I need to speak to you about another errand run." He said. The tired in his voice was obvious, and his ears dropped a little. "This doesn't sound good." The half demon whined, and Kagome nudged his arm gently.

"Well I'll leave you two to it. I'm gonna say hi to Sango then head home." Kagome said, leaning up to place a kiss on her husbands cheek; he let his hand linger on her lower back until she walked from his reach. "Good to see you, Miroku!" She said kindly, patting his arm as she passed by to chat with his wife. "You too..." But his voice trailed off. Inuyasha could instantly see the change in mood when she walked away. His face dropped and his body became rigid; something was wrong. "Something happened." Inuyasha stated, and Miroku nodded. "I'd like to sit while I tell you this." The monk said, almost seeming wobbly now as he walked to the edge of the water and plopped down.

Inuyasha was almost too tense to sit; he hated suspense.

"As you know this last errand was to exorcise a demon, and going in, it was simple. But a few days prior to this one attacking, there had been another, and another." He paused to move his staff to his other shoulder. "When I asked why they had been plagued with attacks, the headsman told me he thought it had been because of an invasion of a stronger demon that had wiped out one of their plowing fields and almost half their cattle. I went to where it had attacked, but all that was left was turned earth and a thick layer of miasma." Miroku explained, and Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull.

"A group of men had been in that field when it happened, but only one survived. He was a mess and petrified when I questioned him, but he managed to tell me that this demon- or should I said collection of demons, was absolutely enormous, just throbbing and melted together." Miroku paused to pull a small folded piece of paper from his sleeve, and held it loosely in his hands, almost willing for the wind to pick it up and carry it far, far away.

"But he said at the center of this mass was a man standing there, his skin melted with flesh of the demons, and on his back was the mark of a spider."

Inuyasha felt his heart drop into his stomach, and it seemed any sounds around the two of them vanished. It was only them two, and his eyes watching Miroku's hands as he unfolded the paper and handed it to his friend. He tried to still his hands from shaking, but there was already a mix of anguish and confusion roiling in his body. "That's what the man drew; that's what he saw on his back." Miroku added, his voice was so constricted with emotion it was almost a choke. He couldn't pull his eyes away from the messy drawing of the all too familiar spider for what seemed never-ending but must've only been seconds when one thing popped into his mind: Kagome. His eyes shot to Kagome who had stopped to talk to one of the villagers. She was smiling; he held back a whimper. The thought of her being put in harms way all over again was enough to make him want to throw his fists against the ground in agony. He crumpled the paper in his hands and flicked it into the water. "It has to be a mistake." He said in a growl, instantly going over every detail in his mind of that last fight, even when Kagome had been captured in the meido. What could he have possibly missed? What could have changed in the last four years?

"Has the Wind Tunnel returned?" He asked, and Miroku chuckled darkly and shook his head. "I have to admit- I've checked it at least two-dozen times since I talked to that man- but no." Miroku replied, his fist clenching tightly around his staff.

"We can't risk not investigating further. We have families to think of." Miroku stated, taking a deep breath and standing, then dusting any grass or dirt from his robes. Inuyasha followed suit, and as they approached Kagome who was now chatting with Sango, they made eye contact. At first she gave him a warm smile, but her warmth did little to calm the whirlpool of emotion in his chest. As he walked towards them, their husbands shoulders tense and their eyes portraying something close to agony, her smile vanished. "Somethings wrong." Kagome said quietly, and took a few steps forward to meet Inuyasha. Her hand raised to rest against his cheek, and the way his eyes saddened as he leaned into her hand had questions running across the surface of her mind. "We have to talk- all of us." Miroku said, placing a gentle hand at Sango's back and walking through the opening of their home.

* * *

It wasn't even a state of shock that had Kagome gripping her clothes in her fists tightly, it was pure confusion. How was this even possible? WAS it even possible?

Miroku had done his best to ease Sango when she scrambled to gather words and broken pieces of frantic questions- besides her first worry being their children, Kohaku's safety was another urgent matter she felt she had to address. She couldn't move fast enough to gather her hiraikotsu and demon slayer ware, not even trying to put it in satchels- just stuffing it into the little space she had in her arms. It had taken some convincing, but ultimately, it had been the plain fact that her children needed her most. She couldn't leave them now, and now she was calming with Miroku pressed tight to her side, wiping away any stray tears.

Inuyasha on the other hand couldn't have been more distant. He hadn't said a word, hadn't moved an inch. He was frozen, no more emotion apparent on his face.

Kagome had wished multiple times that at some point he would grab her hand, or even make it clear that he was still breathing, but the only movement she received was when he very suddenly stormed out of the hut, leaving her alone with their friends and sleeping children. She sighed and held her own hands. "It's best that Inuyasha and I return to the village and better inspect the miasma. I'm sure he would recognize his scent." Miroku said, and Kagome shook her head. "No, I'll go with him. You should stay with the children." She argued, giving Sango an understanding look. She had seen her friends posture tense when the monk spoke of leaving, but now she looked calmer, like maybe she could get some sleep tonight instead of none. Miroku was reluctant, but eventually he agreed and passed along any information and directions to the village. Before leaving, Kagome gave her friend a firm hug, reassuring her that everything would be okay; that they wouldn't let any harm befall Kohaku and her children. They had to keep some sort of hope.

She found him sitting with his back to her atop their roof, his face pointed at the now dark sky. The stars were just starting to show their shinning faces, and usually it would've been a beautiful night to star gaze with him. The way he was sat took her back to some of the first nights after they had just met; his form of comfort was being somewhere high where he could get a vantage point of everything. She hoped he wouldn't become distant, that he thought this was his to worry about alone. They'd learned the hard way that bearing a weight this crushing alone was a silent and slow moving killer.

She tapped her nails against the wood of their home and his ears rotated back towards her, but he still didn't move. "Want some company?" She called up, and he shrugged. She pouted.

"Inuyasha, please don't pull away." She said calmly, and after a few moments he leapt down and pulled her flush against himself before bounding back up to the roof. He didn't let her go though as he sat back down; now that she was against him, he realized he wanted her close, wanted her where he knew she was safe. She settled nicely against him with her back to his chest and his legs spread straight out on either side of hers. He sighed as he leaned back on his hands, and she rolled her head back a little to glance at him. She could tell his thoughts were pulling him far away, farther than the stars they sat under.

"Miroku told me how to get to the village." Kagome stated; he said nothing.

"I told him to stay behind with Sango, and that I'd go with you." She added. Still nothing, but his ears flattened a bit.

"So I figure we should leave in the morning and get this over with." This time she sat forward and spun on her bottom so she sat cross legged between his legs. He finally looked down at her and she could clearly see what he wanted to say. He had that lazy anger in his eyes that made him look bored, but with the smallest of provocation, he'd be a ball of fury. "Kagome-" he started to say.

"No." She interrupted, and he looked straight at her, his eyes narrowing.

"I didn't even finish-"

"Nope." She said again, and he leaned towards her, his golden eyes blinking a few times behind his silver bangs.

"It's not safe." He argued. "And me staying here alone is?" She retorted, and he exhaled in annoyance. "Damnit Kagome, you can stay with Sango and Miroku- I'll be back in-" again, she was to have the last word in the matter.

"No! Inuyasha I'm going with! Even if you leave without me I'll follow you, and I have the location." She said in a stern voice, and for a moment he opened his mouth to argue, but the look of determination stopped him. It wasn't that he didn't want her to go, he was just downright terrified that when they arrived they'd be faced with a reality he never dreamed of living again. "It could be dangerous." He tried to sway her from her decision, but she shrugged. "That never stopped us before." She replied with a half-hearted grin.

Us. Not him alone, them, _together_. They worked- _fought_ better as a team. How could he have forgotten that?

"How is this happening again?" He asked her, his eyes cutting down to her hands. She absolutely hated seeing defeat in the way his face saddened and his body seemingly caved inwards; like a dog that had been beaten for too long and now it's spirit was broken. That wasn't her husband- there was still fight left in his heart, she knew it. Kagome shook her head and for a moment she couldn't look him in the eye. She'd always prided herself in be able to comfort her husband even when circumstances were against her, but this? There was a deep sense of dread forming in all of their hearts, but maybe the collective braveness and support from everyone could carry them to victory like before. They all needed one another now. "We'll head out in the morning then." He said as he sighed again, leaning back on his hands. She nodded, looking down at her hands in her lap.

"Hey, will you still walk me to the hot springs?" She asked, peaking up at him through her bangs. Ding; there was the idea.

"Aw Kagome, really-" he was about to argue, but when his eyes met her sultry look, he stopped. His brows raised and his ears perked up. "Really?" He asked, and she smiled, her hands sliding up his thigh to tug gently at the tie around his waist. One of his eyebrows kicked up. "You know we really won't get anything done just laying in bed tonight... And I dunno, maybe a nice bath will get our minds off of it for a bit?" She implied as her hands slid to his sides, trying her best to sound seductive, but her voice would always shake.

He pulled his legs back so he could kneel in front of her, leaning down so he was almost kissing her.

"You still stink, too." He said plainly, and she punched him in the arm before he wrapped his arms around her waist as she quickly unfolded her legs and clung to him. One of his hands moved to hold her thigh that squeezed his hips tightly as he sped off towards the warm water springs, and already he could feel the excitement making his pants tighter. There wasn't anything much better he could think to relieve stress.

* * *

It was gloomy and chilly that morning she woke up with his hand rested on her stomach, the bare skin on her breasts cool from the evening air that had seeped in overnight. She was glad though; she didn't feel like walking in the sun today, but now that today was here, the ominous weight that had settled in her stomach was hitting her hard. Kagome rubbed the sleep from her eyes and turned her head; he was already awake and looking out the window. It was strange to see him so calm and with the thin sheet of their futon pulled up to his chin, but he felt uneasy. Even in their home, being out in the open was holding a familiar threat. She lifted the back of her hand to run her fingers across his lips, and he finally looked at her, managing to give her a small grin but it turned to a guilty frown when he spotted the light bruises of his hand marks on her wrists. She'd given him full pass to take his frustrations out on her in the most pleasurable of ways last night, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it. But the tension had returned to his body. It was expected.

* * *

"Kagome, are you sure you don't want to take more?" Sango asked, holding an additional bag full of assorted objects and necessities she might need. "Sango, I promise I have everything I need. Even if we end up going to look for Kohaku, I have enough. So please, try to calm down." Kagome said, placing her hands on her friends shoulders after she finished tying her own bag across her chest and looping a scarf around her neck. It was unusually cold this morning, and only getting colder as the morning progressed. Sango nodded and rubbed her face, trying to calm her erratic nerves. "Either way, we'll be back soon." Kagome added, and the two girls hugged. They lingered a moment; it was particularly difficult to stay positive on this day, but Kagome fought to stay strong. Falling apart now could be troublesome, and she needed to be the support system for her husband just as he was for her. The two walked out of Kagome's home where Inuyasha and Miroku were chatting, and both of them turned to look at their wives.

"Ready?" Inuyasha asked, and Kagome nodded with a smile when she saw he had tied his hair up so it wouldn't whip her across the face. Those small smiles were what kept his head screwed on right. He knelt down then, and when Kagome placed her hands on his shoulders and pressed the inner part of her knee against his side, that was his queue to easily grab her thighs and lift her against him, standing in one fluid movement. They still fit perfectly against one another.

"Please be safe." Sango said, holding her own arms as Miroku wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"If we're not back by tomorrow, then you know we're going for Kohaku." Kagome said, and then they were flying through the air. It took her a moment to steady herself; they didn't travel like this too often anymore and the only real air time Kagome had been getting was when he had her pinned up against something. Inuyasha settled into a steady run, and she closed her eyes to relish in the cold wind whipped her hair around and stung her cheeks; she had missed this. Every time he jumped, there was no longer the sinking feeling in her belly. It had dulled to a gentle tug of adrenaline that she enjoyed, that made her legs grip tightly at his side but her breathing become deep and smooth. She brought her arms around his neck and buried her face between her arm and his head, closing her eyes again. It felt good to forget the looming cloud over them, even if it was just for a moment.

Their arrival to the small village was met with mixed emotions; Inuyasha only proved that they had had a few dangerous days with demons. So when he walked up, some men came close to organizing a group to kill him. But the sight of Kagome's miko robes calmed them even though she had to be sly about hiding the erotic bruises amongst her wrists. They gave pass to them to speak to the village headsman and man who had encountered the demon, but every step towards the field brought more anxiety, and Inuyasha thought it might crawl from his mouth the way it felt coming up his throat. His shoulders rolled a little in discomfort; having his hair up exposed the back of his neck. Vulnerable for an attack on one of the weakest spots of any man or demon.

Before they even saw the charred field, he could smell him. The same, sickly sweet cinnamon smell that was so permanently Naraku's. All he had to do was give her a look and Kagome knew. They could drop to their knees and question the gods why this was happening, but that's not how real life would progress. Now they closed that chapter of their life when they'd known peaceful days, and opened a new one. Life would go on.

They examined the lands and tried to spot any clues as to where he could've gone, but it was almost as if he had picked up and flown off. Wasn't impossible, Naraku had a habit of doing something like that. But Inuyasha still wanted to do a sweep of the surrounding area, so he left Kagome to speak to the man who had seen him before. He had been calmer now, but it was visible still that what he had seen was going to leave a lasting impression. Almost all of what he described was of striking resemblance to their once thought to be fallen foe, but there was one trait that didn't make much sense. Upon running away, the man had turned once to look at the demon who killed their cattle and his friends, but he ended up making eye contact with the man in the center of the demon mass. He explained he had only one eye, and it looked as if the rest of his face had been wiped away. Kagome was puzzled; could it really be Naraku then? Or an impersonator? There was no occasion she had recalled where he had presented himself in such a manner. She did her best to bless the man, and hoped that even though her mind was clouded with other thoughts that her words could bring a sense of relief to him.

It took a bit of convincing, but Kagome was able to persuade him into staying the night seeing as by the time he got back from following any possible leads, it was well into the evening. The headsman set them up in a private room, a divider placed between their futons of course. Inuyasha could've done without the bitter comments towards his wife that were whispered amongst other woman as they walked through the village. He only walked closer to her, being sure to make eye contact with anyone who made a remark. A meal was also provided in thanks of Kagome blessing their village, but neither of them had much of an appetite.

The futon she lied on was uncomfortable. On top of it just not being as plush as the one she had at home, it felt cold and hard without her husband at her side to keep her warm. It was unusual that he sat perched against the divider on her side, his body stiff and Tetsusaiga leaned against his shoulder, but she hesitated to say anything; she didn't want to further burden him. But even he noticed her discomfort as she rolled and tossed her limbs about, trying anything to make up for the empty space next to her. "Can't sleep?" He asked softly, and she rolled onto her side with her cheek rested in her palm to look at him.

"I'd rest better if you joined me." She said with a grin, but he just looked at her, unmoving. It made her nervous.

"It's him, Kagome. He's back." He said, the distaste clear in his voice. She sat up then, sitting cross legged and facing him but not moving any closer. "I know." She replied, moving her hair behind her ears. "But we'll be okay." She tried, but was surprised when he glared at her. "If I couldn't even defeat him before than what's saying I can now?" He snapped.

Kagome's brows furrowed. "Inuyasha, you did defeat him before. It's four years later, there must be something we missed- I don't know how else this could have happened." She said, now moving to be closer to him. He shook his head and looked away for an instant, and then suddenly stood to walk towards the sliding door that lead outside. "Where are you going?" She asked, throwing the covers off to walk after him.

"You said it yourself- I missed something. So I'm going to find it." He said through clenched teeth, but her hands at his arm stopped him.

"Inuyasha, I said WE missed something, this isn't your fault!" She argued, but he pulled his arm away harshly, not even looking back at her as he walked outside and leapt into the darkness, leaving her alone and bewildered, a cold breeze rubbing her form uncomfortably. "Inuyasha!" She called out, but there was nothing, only the returning chirp of crickets that they had startled. "That's not what I meant." She mumbled to herself, smoothing her hair back roughly as she stalked back into the room, leaving the sliding door cracked. The bedding was even colder.

* * *

He hadn't even made it very far before his anger got the better of him and he was dragging his claws through earth and trees, willing the fury to leave his body than staying cooped up in his mind. It took a few minutes, but he finally felt level headed enough to slump against a tree and be able to even his breathing while picking splinters and debris from under his claws. He knew if he went back to the crater or anywhere they had last encountered Naraku he wouldn't find anything. He was very thorough when he looked for any remainder of him, and in the past four years, wouldn't something have made itself known? That's plenty of time to even accidentally stumble upon something. He wiped his bloody fingers on his pants and rested his head back against the tree.

He shouldn't have treated Kagome like that; she was his light in this dark time. He needed her, but he also knew that if his temper kept up like this, she'd sit him into oblivion. They couldn't let Naraku attempt to create a rift through them again; he wouldn't let Kagome fall victim and be ripped from his grip as Kikyo was. Too many times he'd come close to losing her, and now that his undying love for her had been pledged and she was his wife, there was no way he'd even let him get close to her again. He sighed as his head lolled to the side to look down at the home of the headsman she was staying in. From on top of this hill a ways away, he could even see the scorched earth of their destroyed plowing field, but nothing hinting at Naraku's presence. Not even any hints of his scent in the steady breeze of the night. He took one last glance down at his fingers; the ache in them was already starting to dull, and then he rose to walk back to his wife, taking his time so he could muster the correct words for an apology.

Kagome must've been in some kind of limbo, because when she heard the sliding door quietly open and her first reaction was to run into his arms, she felt weak. He didn't hesitate to hold her tight against his chest, dipping his head down so he could rest his face in her dark hair at her shoulders. And then suddenly she was shoving him away and smacking him on the shoulder. "You know how much I hate it when you storm out like that!" She hissed in a hushed tone, and his ears dropped a little. 'I deserved that.' He thought to himself.

"I know- I'm sorry." He said quietly, unable to make eye contact with her. He had prepared a whole speech, but the simplicity of an apology mattered in the emotion behind it, not articulated sentences. Kagome sighed angrily, but still couldn't stop herself from standing on her tippy toes to place a quick kiss on his lips and then pulling his shoulders down so she could better wrap her arms around his neck. Secretly, he loved that she had to reach to hug him. "It's okay, Inuyasha. We'll figure this out together." She said softly, her hand gripping a little at the fire rat robe. "I know, I just- I don't know how-why we'll do it this time. Apparently it wasn't enough before." He said, his voice muffled by her shoulder, and then she remembered. "Inuyasha, I have something..." She said softly, and he gently pushed her away to look at her, his ears perked forward.

"The man who thought he saw Naraku- I'm not so sure anymore that it actually IS Naraku." She stated, and his brows curled further in confusion. "He had said when the man in the mass turned towards him that most of his face was gone; like it had been wiped clean." The more she explained it to him, she actually started to see a trace of hope spark in his eyes. "So it might not be...?" He asked, and she shrugged.

"What if it's a shapeshifter?"

"That would explain why it smelled like him everywhere, but how would they copy him? He was blown apart." Inuyasha mentioned, walking over to her futon and sitting on it.

"Maybe that's the small something we missed." She suggested, sitting down next to him. "Either way, a shapeshifter would be better. So- much- better." He said slowly as he unraveled his hair from the tie and scratched his scalp, looking at her with some relief visibly washing over his body. "I still think we should warn Kohaku." Kagome added, and he nodded in agreement.

"Back to it in the morning." He said, nodding his head towards the futon for her to lie down. "Lie with me?" She asked, shuffling to him and flipping onto her side to face him. With Tetsusaiga laid next to them, he curled against her form with her head tucked under his chin and arms around one another waist. "I love you." She said softly, kissing his chin. "Don't get me started, woman. I don't think the village would care to learn my name this late at night." At that she glared at him playfully and settled back against him, already feeling the gentle tug of sleep around her eyes. "I love you too." She heard him mumble before she slipped into darkness.

* * *

"You know I just realized I don't know the first place to look for Kohaku." Kagome said suddenly, breaking the silence between them and probably startling some wildlife around them. "We'll start with Sesshomaru; he lingers around here 'cause of Rin." Inuyasha stated, rotating his arm. He'd laid wrong, but it was at the cost of keeping Kagome comfortable; she needed sleep more than he did if they were to keep this trek moving at a steady pace. He adored her, but sometimes her wandering type of walk nudged his impatience. "That's honestly adorable." Kagome said quietly, a small smile across her lips. "Keh." He retorted.

"It's so cold for October!" She exclaimed, pulling the scarf a little more snug around her neck, but the cold still seeped in. "I stopped runnin' cause you said you were cold- you haven't warmed up yet?" He questioned, and she shrugged. "I may love the cold, but the cold does NOT love me." She joked, her shoulders shuddering as she tried to warm herself. But when a large, clawed hand grasped hers and held on firmly, pulling her a little closer, she felt her cheeks warm. This was something new he'd started; holding hands while they walked, but she appreciated it- loved it. "To Sesshomaru..." She cooed, playfully bumping her elbow with his. He only groaned in protest.

* * *

 _It was almost done. After all this time, he was almost done. It had been a slow, agonizing process; collecting flesh and burning himself into it, all in hopes to rise to power. All to hopefully claim the thrown of notorious demon king of these lands and smite anyone in his path. But even before that, he had to wait until his superior had been obliterated from the land he had tormented for so long. He had hoped that the Shikon Jewel wouldn't have departed with him, but there was nothing that could be done about it now. His only focus now was withstanding the fire amongst his skin that had raged for years as he gathered enough demons and absorbed them, always being sure to keep the small lump of flesh from Naraku at his center. He always made sure that it all connected to that small piece; made sure that he fed the demonic power it still emitted. Very soon, he would have the power he desired and admired, and the strength to take down who killed his idol. Already he was learning this small, lingering bit of Naraku held great power. Not only the ability to absorb other demons and gain their strengths, but also dissipating into thin air when danger was present had already saved his progress many times. Though it drained him considerably, it was necessary. Pulling his body along the ground attracted too much attention. But soon, that wouldn't matter. Soon he would be able to roam freely- and kill. He would kill Inuyasha for slaying Naraku, and he would kill Kagome for ridding the world of the jewel._

 _Just a little longer... Just a little longer..._

* * *

Turns out, Sesshomaru had been roaming the sky looking for his half brother, and at first Kagome had been thankful that they didn't have to travel far to find him, but now as Inuyasha was becoming more inclined to unsheathe Tetsusaiga and basically itching for his demon brother to make a move, she was far from it.

"Just answer the damn question!" Inuyasha shouted, his hand gripping his swords hilt.

"Calm down, little brother. My patience is already worn thin and I believe I inquired first as to why Naraku's scent is all over the neighboring village." Sesshomaru spat back calmly, his face emotionless as always. Inuyasha began to crouch to strike with a deep growl emitting from his chest, but Kagome took the opportunity to step in between her husband and his brother, unwilling to watch them fight. "We believe there's a shape shifter that's mimicking his form." She said quickly.

"Did you and your mate not succeed in defeating him? If there have been remnants of him all this time then perhaps there was more important matters to address than that half-breeds insatiable desire to bend you over any chance he had." His eyes were on Inuyasha when he said that, and Kagome could almost feel the heat of his anger radiating off of him from behind her. Her cheeks flushed wildly and she glared at him. 'Did he really just-?'

"Shut up! We DID defeat him, bastard! No thanks to you!" Inuyasha managed to snap out, but Kagome raised a hand to silence him; she could hear him choke back surprised words. "Sesshomaru, I think it's best you stay nearby for Rin's sake- just in case something happens." Kagome said, annoyance clear in her voice. "Do you honestly think that thought escaped my mind?" He directed at her, and she rolled her eyes as he easily strolled away heading in the direction of their home. "So where's Kohaku?" Inuyasha yelled, but his older brother didn't even look back as he calmly said, "He headed to the demon slayers side earlier this morning."

"Thanks big brother!" Kagome called, and inwardly applauded herself when she could visibly see her brother in laws shoulders twitch in annoyance. "I hate that..." Inuyasha mumbled, loosening the tension in his hands that were gripped at Tetsusaiga. "Yeah, but now we can just head home." She said as she turned to him, trying to push down the bitter feeling from their encounter. He still looked annoyed, but he could see unrelenting drive in her eyes. "Let's head home and regroup, then we'll head out properly." She added, and the idea started to sound favorable.

"That's a lot of back and forth." He said in a grumble.

"Maybe Kohaku knows something we don't?" She suggested, and at that, Inuyasha couldn't argue.

Kagome- 1

Inuyasha- 0

"And I need my bow and arrows and more stuff if we're going to-" but his hands expertly throwing her on his back with a swiftness only gained from experience stopped her, and then they were flying again. "I get it, I get it." He called back, but she just tugged on one of his ears. Inuyasha squeezed her thighs in retaliation.

* * *

 _It was lucky he had found a particularly strong lizard demon stalking around the cave he had situated himself in. Lizards regenerated quickly; this would come in handy and had sped up the last few steps of his mimicking. Now he stood with one foot out of the pulsating demon flesh that was clinging to the walls and ground of the damp cave, the flesh moaning in agony as their host detached himself. Like a placenta detaching from a uterus, the vessels and muscle that had given him life and strength slid off of his body one by one, leaving him bruised and wobbly and covered in a putrid slime that clung to his skin like dried mud. A few attempts later and he was standing on unsteady feet, but he was the exact double of the demon he had admired so many years ago. The wavy, long black hair stuck to his body from perspiration, but his narrow eyes that burned red was enough to make him recognizable to anyone that once knew the great demon Naraku. He didn't understand why the spider mark on his back was so bold, or why something in his forming flesh passed down to him brought him to this cave that was so close to his enemies village and held a sense of bitter nostalgia, but that didn't matter. He could feel strength rising quickly in his body. And as the fire grew in his belly, so did the desire to mutilate the couple he was after. Despite his own motives to destroy them, something in the flesh of Naraku's former body that was now in the center of his chest beat wildly when he thought of the half-demon and his woman. This man had had great reason to loath them. It was making him furious- erratic, almost._

 _He lashed out at the rocks and earth around him, unknowing how to control this hate. A guttural scream ripped from his chest, and the ground around him rumbled with unease as his arms and fists split the ground beneath him, unable to withstand the power of his blows._

* * *

They both felt the rumbling that shook the earth beneath their feet, and it made Inuyasha stop short. Kagome braced herself against his shoulders and stilled; his ears were a flurry of movement, pointing in all directions like satellites. "What was that?" She asked aloud, looking to her sides. He opened his mouth to say something, but the thundering sound of crashing and snapping of trees in the distance stopped him. Where a path of forest was being quickly mowed down was a cloud of miasma forming behind it, and then the smell hit him. "That's Naraku!" Inuyasha exclaimed, and was taking off again.

"He's heading towards home!" She yelled, a sudden fear igniting in her chest. Her instant worry was for Sango and her children, and of course Kaede. They wouldn't even have enough time to flee before he attacked. "Inuyasha hurry!" She yelled, and he was kicking off the ground with all the strength in his legs. One last leap over the tall trees and they were almost face to face with the demon as he swung a large tentacle at them, but the half-demons quick feet kicked off of it's cold skin and dodged it. He landed next to the stone stairs that led to the Shrine that formerly held the jewel, and spun around as she squirmed off his back.

He wasn't expecting her to run off. "Where are you going!?" He yelled, chasing her down the stairs, but she kept bolting towards Sango who was scrambling to grab her children and get away from her hut. "Kagome!" She yelled, and quickly she gathered the girls in her arms and directed her towards her own home hidden in the trees, shooting Inuyasha a knowing glance before she ran away.

A small explosion of electricity and fire caught Inuyasha's attention to where Miroku stood on the other side of the mass of tentacles with spiritual seals in his hand. They charred large pieces at a time, but the skin would bubble and rejuvenate within seconds; Miroku dodged a flying piece of flesh and ran to Inuyasha's side.

"Where are the girls?" Miroku asked, searching widely for his wife and children.

"Kagome took them-," he wasn't able to finish before both of them barely escaped the crushing blow of another tentacle, sending them scrambling in different directions. Inuyasha pushed off his powerful legs and onto the top of the hill that the shrine sat on once again. He could see him clearly now, a splitting image of what stood before them four years ago, but he didn't behave the same way. Naraku always kept himself composed, calm. This man was reckless, thrashing the earth and village around himself all with a crazed look in his eyes.

"What are you doing back here, Naraku?" He spat through clenched teeth, pulling Tetsusaiga from its sheathe. The warm flush of demonic air against his face gave him a boost of confidence, blowing his bangs away from his eyes.

The demon man laughed from his spot perched atop the pulsating mass of tentacles, a thick cloud of miasma forming around him and singings trees and grass. "It seems my powers of mimicking have proven successful, but I am _not_ Naraku." He said, his voice shrill compared to the former demon. Inuyasha's ears twitched, trying to zero in on the imposter, but screams of villagers and his concern for Kagome distracted him.

"Who the hell are you then?" Inuyasha yelled, tensing for an attack.

"I am Kurodo, a master shapeshifter, and I have obtained incomprehensible power from the last living flesh of the once great Naraku!" He hollered, his voice ringing with piercing cries of the demons he had absorbed. Miasma shot from crevices everytime he swung one of his massive tentacles, but just as Inuyasha had dodged one, another came from his other side, throwing him into the ground harshly. His ribs throbbed from the impact, but he still grabbed for Tetsusaiga while he winced in discomfort. Just as he held his great sword above his head to slice the demon limb that was coming down on top of him, a familiar holy light accompanied by a soaring arrow obliterated it, leaving behind a soft pink glow. His eyes shot to Kagome who had another arrow already notched.

"Stupid girl, I will kill you along with the filthy half-breed!" Kurodo bellowed, his massive body lurching in her direction and a wicked smile spreading across his face. "Naraku's affection for this reincarnation crippled his sad attempts to kill you, but I know only the hate his demon mind held for you!" He added, and Kagome retracted, but still fired her arrow. It grazed his side, and was enough to hault this movements only for a moment.

"Kagome run!" Inuyasha screamed, and felt his heart stop as a tentacle lifted above her head. In a flash of white, she was dragged out of the way of the crushing blow that would've killed her by Sesshomaru. He bounded to a safer distance before depositing her roughly on the ground, Rin cradled in his arms and unconscious. "Sesshomaru- is she okay?" Kagome scrambled to her feet to observe the blood leaking from Rin's forehead, but he only glared at her, tightening his hold on the young girl. A loud crack brought Kagome back to the present fight, and she was running back to where she could see Inuyasha attacking and slicing at anything he could come through.

Just as she pulled back another arrow, Miroku came running to her side, only two seals left in his hand. "Go to Sango and the children!" She ordered, and he ran past her. Without his wind tunnel, here wasn't much he could do if not even the seals worked.

Multiple times Inuyasha would swing the sword in hopes to release the wind scar, but every time he was blocked, or hit, or simply sliced through something that would interrupt the deadly attack of his sword. Eventually he landed again, his hands shaking in fury. He glanced back at Kagome, and with one look, they exchanged their plan. The link they'd developed in battle years ago was still strong, and this attack plan was one they'd carried out before flawlessly.

Inuyasha leapt into the air and twisted around to pull Korubo's line of sight in the opposite direction, and that's when Kagome shot a final arrow, but the ground being torn apart by a slamming tentacle below her feet caused her to misfire. Instead of the arrow hitting his head, it pierced his chest, still inflicting a great amount of damage. The demon bellowed and his body writhed in pain, curling up like a wounded spider. That was when Inuyasha took the chance to swing his sword swiftly through the air, and finally the familiar lights and screaming of the Wind Scar cut through the air around them and towards Korubo. But all the Wind Scar would cut through was Miasma; in an instant, the massive demon had disappeared, leaving only behind the destruction he had created and a static like crackling that rang in their ears. He watched as the last winding traces of Tetsusaiga's blow disappeared into the sky, and he growled, lurching into the crater that was created.

"No! No!" He yelled, slamming his sword to the ground and frantically looking in all directions. Just like before, he was gone without a trace. The miasma stung his throat and nose, and as he raised his sleeve to cover his face, he cursed wildly below his breath.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome said carefully, and he spun around to face her. The slightest of red tinted his eyes and light purple stained his cheeks; she steadied her unsettled nerves. Though the miasma made her feel light headed, she still approached her husband. Every step towards him was uneasy, but when she finally was before him with her hands holding his hot cheeks, he was calm again, dropping his head in defeat. "He got away." He said, a growl lingering in his voice.

"We'll find him." She said, her hands easing down to his chest. Dirt coated her face, and he smoothed some of the tangles from her hair. "Are you hurt?" He asked, and she shook her head. She finally let go of the breath she was holding as he did this, and gave him a reassuring grin. The miasma cloud was already dissipating, and around them the damage was becoming clear. Several homes had been crushed, and bodies were strewn about, including some children. Kagome spun suddenly, ready to run to her friends side, but they were already at the tree line. Relief washed over her when she saw them all unharmed, but clearly they were shaken.

"Did I hear correctly that that was indeed not Naraku?" Kaede's voice came from behind them, and they turned to find her standing at the edge of the crater, her arm curled into her chest with some blood bleeding through her sleeve. "Are you injured?" Kagome asked. "Tis only a flesh wound child; Inuyasha?" She asked, and he walked to her. His eyes and cheeks were of normal color again.

"He's a shape shifter." He simply said, and she nodded. "He still holds a great deal of power." The old priestess added, and looked up as Sesshomaru departed the shattered village. "Rin was almost crushed under a falling hut." She pointed out, and Kagome watched until he was over the horizon.

"I doubt he'll be leaving her here until Korubo is dead." Inuyasha noted, placing Tetsusaiga back at his hip. "Korubo?" Kagome asked, and he nodded.

"That's the name he gave me." He replied, and she pondered on that. "Why does that name sound so familiar?" She asked aloud, and his ear twitched. "You met him before or somethin'?" He asked, his brows furrowing in concern. She shook her head and turned to walk away from the crater. "Hey- Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, walking after her.

"I know I've heard that name before- from someone." She mumbled, walking towards Sango and Miroku just as Kohaku had landed with Kirara. "Was it from Kohaku? Maybe Kana had mentioned it- Koga!" She exclaimed, turning towards Inuyasha who stopped suddenly as she charged him. "Koga told me about him once!" She said as she grabbed his shoulders. His ears flattened. "Seriously?" He asked, the thought of the wolf tribe leader souring his attitude even farther.

"Yes! He'd told me once long before that a shapeshifter had tried to mimic him to try and take over the wolf tribe, but had been able to send him away after a long fight." She explained, crossing her arms and going over the details in her head.

"AND I remember specifically that Koga had said when he found him trying to copy his form, his face at one point had been just a blur of features! Maybe because the face has so much detail that it's harder to copy..." She said to herself, biting her bottom lip as she considered this. "I think we should go see Koga." She decided, looking back to her husband.

"What- why? You just gave us all the information!" He argued, turning away to walk towards the tree line. "I'm gonna scout the area." He called back, but she grabbed his arm.

"He might have more useful information, Inuyasha!" She said, trying to pry his stubbornness apart.

"I'm not taking you to go see that bastard!" He exclaimed, pulling his arm loose from her hold. "You really think he'll willingly give up clues to you?" Her tone told him she was unwilling to argue on this topic because she knew she was right, and he closed his mouth. "I'll think about it." He grumbled, and didn't give her a chance to say anything further as he bounded away. She rolled her eyes, but she knew if she were persistent enough, he would bend and crack. For the meantime, there was much to do in the village, and unfortunately that involved burying cherished members. Even though her friends and herself had buried multiple people throughout their times together, it never got easier. Kagome turned back to her friends who were studying the damage inflicted on their home as Sango spoke with Kohaku, but Kagome would need to tell them of recent developments.

* * *

It had almost cost him his life; he had greatly underestimated the strength the both of them posed. Even for a human girl and halfling- he couldn't make that mistake again.

His body ached viciously as the hole in his side only continued to burn and gnaw at him slowly. The holy powers that girl possessed prevented his body from healing quickly as he did before from the monks seals. He thought on this as decaying limbs from his body withered away and eventually fell off, making way for new body parts. But to heal his greatest wound he'd need time and more demons. Even as he began to settle in the dark cave at the base of the sleeping mountain, smaller demons were crawling to him, attracted to the energy he let off. Like a Venus fly trap, he snagged the weak and absorbed them. He'd regain his energy and power and set out to attack again, but first... He needed to rid that girl of her powers.

If he could prevent her purification powers from blowing holes in him again, the rest would be simple. But he couldn't get close to her. He shuddered and growled, pulling pieces of black flesh from the hole in his side.

He studied the pieces of muscle that slipped off of him, and how some of it was still pink and alive. And then it hit him, his eyes widening and a dangerous smile spreading across his mouth. He cradled the piece of flesh in his hand carefully, and even let it begin to melt back into his hand. But he directed his healing to that spot, willing it to grow and develop a heart beat. Soon, he'd have the help he needed, that way he could stay a distance, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

"First, you'll stop that woman." He growled quietly, running his thumb over the growing flesh in his hand.

* * *

 ** _One Week Later_**

"Inuyasha you can't just leave like that!" She yelled, following him from their room to the front of their home where their dinner was half eaten. He shook his head and picked Tetsusaiga up from where it sat leaned against the door frame, then placed it at his hip. He had tried to wait until she was sleeping to depart, but halfway through dinner he'd grown tired of waiting. For a week he'd tossed the idea around in his mind as they all helped in rebuilding the village, and wanting to get it done and over with, he stood suddenly after swallowing a mouthful of food and declared he was leaving to Mount Hakurei to find Korubo. It was the only place he could think to look, honestly.

"Kagome it's too dangerous- you saw what happened last time." He replied coolly, turning to face her. Any emotion between enraged and shocked was flashing across her features quicker than he could snap his fingers. "What happened to talking with Koga?" She demanded, crossing her arms. He rolled his eyes and turned to walk out, but she only stomped after him.

"Don't walk away from me! We need to stick together- we all do! You can't just run off on your own like you used to!" She stated, running in front of him and pushing on his chest. "If I can just go to Mount Hakurei and come back then it should only take a day, we can't afford to stop during the night and rest." He explained; it was a risk saying she was the one that slowed him, but he held his ground. "I don't care! What if he attacks here again? Or you- what if he attacks you? I can help, Inuyasha!" She bellowed, but he just shook his head. "Kagome, no. I'm sorry. I'll be back soon." He said quickly, only kissing her forehead once and turning to run. If he lingered any longer he'd break; he didn't want to take her there. He couldn't risk her life.

"Inuyasha!" She yelled, but he was already out of sight through the trees, leaving her baffled.

"Kagome?" Sango's voice suddenly came from her side, and she turned with her hands placed angrily on her hips. Kagome looked back to where her husband had ran from her.

"He just left!" She hollered, throwing her arms in his direction. "After being all quiet and angry this last week and now he just LEFT." She screamed in his direction, pacing back and forth with her eyes still on the spot. "You know what-" she mumbled, and was suddenly speed walking after him.

"Wait Kagome!" Sango called, walking after her.

"I'll be right back!" She yelled to her friend, and shoved her way through shrubbery in pursuit of her stubborn and thick headed husband. All the while she was mumbling angrily to herself as she stomped angrily through trees and across a small stream, contemplating just how she would exact her revenge. 'He's kept his hands to himself all week- I'll keep to myself for a damn month.' She thought to herself, knowing how to throw a blow where it hurts most. Kagome must've covered a decent amount of ground in the few minutes she imagined his face when she would deny his pleas of forgiveness and soft touches all in hopes to get her into bed. She couldn't hear the busy village behind her anymore, and the trees were becoming thicker as she traveled into the dark woods.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a figure emerged from the bushes before her, and for a moment she thought she had found Inuyasha. But her stomach dropped when the man with cold, white eyes and wild black hair stepped in front of her, clothed in dark robes that look tattered.

She took several steps back, unknowing if this man presented a threat.

"You... You're Kagome." He stated, and she felt a chill run down her back. His voice was a whisper, like the last breath of someone dying. Anyone who would know her name had been sent by someone, and at the moment, there was only one who'd be dealing out henchman.

 _Run or fight? What would she fight with? Would she make it home in time? Would she be able to draw an arrow in time?_

All these questions invaded her mind as she stared at the man, but all the could think to do was find Inuyasha, somehow. Tears stung the back of her eyes; why did he have to run off? But she wasn't given time to think any further as he was suddenly charging her, his hand lifting to strike her. She screamed as she was able to dodge him and bolt to her side, leaving him slumped against a tree.

She ran in what she hoped was the right direction of the village, but to try and shake him, she ran in zigzags. Finding home now would be hard. She peered over her shoulder, and felt adrenaline push her harder as she spotted him running effortlessly after her, his face plain but his eyes locked on her.

He was racing to find her, but was still a distance away by the way her scream sounded. He didn't even bother trying to dodge obstacles, he just barreled through them as he raced to find her. What kind of trouble could she have gotten herself into that quickly? His heart raced and his eyes jumped frantically over everything, hoping to catch sight of her.

Her chest burned as she ran and winded through trees, even back tracking sometimes, but he still stayed at her tail. Tears began to run down her cheeks when she couldn't focus enough to channel her spiritual energy to her hands to even begin to defend herself. And then she was suddenly slamming against the ground and her face was making harsh contact with the roots of a tree. Even though pain seared across her cheek, she spun on her bottom and watched as the mans clawed fist came slicing at her, cutting deep into her chest and ripping her skin apart. She didn't have time to even notice Inuyasha sliding Tetsusaiga across the mans back which in turned pushed him into Kagome; she was already throwing herself back and screaming in pain, blood pooling from her body and her hands gripping at what was left of her front. She tried to make sense of what the burning, wet and warm wounds were on her chest and stomach, but her eyes were locked on the sky above her and blurred with tears. She couldn't bring herself to look down.

There was scuffling and yelling beside her, and she could recognize Inuyasha's voice, but the world around her was quickly becoming dark. The pain was becoming so intense that it was actually starting to lull her into unconsciousness.

"No no no! Kagome-!" Inuyasha yelled, sliding to a hault by her side and for a moment, he didn't know what to do. She was convulsing and groaning loudly, but her eyes had rolled into the back of her head and blood continued to leak from the wounds and across her neck and face. "Kagome?" He whimpered, lifting under her shoulders and trying to hold her still. She only started to scream again.

His ears flattened and he cradled her against himself, rising to his feet and running home. He tried to not jostle her too much, but every time she came back to reality and fought against his hold he stopped, trying to gently shush her and tell her it was him, that she was going to be okay. Panic filled his chest and choked him, and he could feel her blood bleeding through the Fire Rat robe. He'd never been one to believe in Gods, but as he wound through trees and came through the tree line on the opposite side of the village, he prayed. She was still screaming as he ran through the water and towards Kaede's home.

* * *

 **AND... scene.**

 **That last part was tough to write; I'm not skilled in describing pain. - I hope anyone who stops by enjoys it, thanks for anyone who's visiting! ^.^**


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